Hemp plant named ‘CAF#13/2020’

ABSTRACT

A vegetatively reproduced hemp (Cannabis sativa spp.) cultivar named ‘CAF#13/2020’ notable for its high cannabidiol (CBD) content, low Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content, and adaptation to growing conditions in Canada and the northern United States.

Latin name: Cannabis sativa.

Variety denomination: ‘CAF#13/2020’.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

Cannabis sativa spp. is an annual herbaceous dioecious species,indigenous to the Himalayan Mountains, Central Asia and the Indiansubcontinent, and now found worldwide as a result of widespreadcultivation. Cannabis sativa spp. has been historically used for avariety of purposes, such as industrial fiber, seed, oil, recreation,food, religious mood and medicine.

The Cannabis sativa spp. is legally divided into two types, which aredefined by the content of Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the flowers.The species is called “hemp” when the content of THC is below 0.3% indry weight; it is called “marijuana” when the THC content is over 0.3%in dry weight.

The growth of the market for cannabidiol (CBD) derived from Cannabissativa spp. has been significant in recent years, and it is expected toincrease. Consequently, there is a high demand in the marketplace forCannabis sativa spp. varieties with high CBD content and low THCcontent.

The new hemp plant ‘CAF#13/2020’ was developed in the course of abreeding program carried out by the inventors at Richmond, BritishColumbia, Canada. The inventors developed a base population of Cannabissativa plants comprising a pool of hundreds of plants grown from seedsobtained after two generations of random mating, beginning in 2019,between about two dozen hemp varieties owned by the company. The basepopulation then underwent two rounds of selection (with selectionintensity 10%), and dozens of randomly chosen plants were selected for afinal round of phenotyping. ‘CAF#13/2020’ showed the highest CBD yield(7.380%) in dry flower while having a THC concentration of less than0.3% (0.277%) by weight. ‘CAF#13/2020’ was first asexually reproduced in2019 at Richmond, British Columbia, Canada via micro-propagation, andhas been observed to remain true to type over successive asexuallypropagated generations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

‘CAF#13/2020’ is a vegetatively reproduced hemp (Cannabis sativa spp.)cultivar distinguished from other commercially produced hemp varietiesby its high CBD content, low THC content, and adaptation to growingconditions in Canada and the northern United States. It is alsoidentifiable by its unique genotype, defined by 845,500 singlenucleotide polymorphisms detected against the representative referencegenome cs10 (GenBank: GCA_900626175.2; RefSeq: GCF_900626175.2) at theNational Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).

‘CAF#13/2020’ is distinguished from other known varieties by itsrelatively high CBD content and low THC content. The claimed variety,the parentage of which is unknown, compares favorably to other low-THChemp varieties evaluated by the inventors. Table 1 below shows acomparison of the claimed variety to 20 other hemp varieties, selectedfrom among the top 10% of the better strains produced in the inventor'sbreeding program. The comparison varieties represent those with the mostfavorable analytical values and morphology as determined by the breedingprogram goals.

TABLE 1 Comparison of ‘CAF#13/2020’ to Other Known Hemp Varieties Sample# CBD (CBD + CBDA) THC (THC + THCA)  1 2.97 0.191  2 4.66 0.206  3 5.900.232  4 9.54 0.326  5 8.27 0.355  6 6.62 0.297  7 4.09 0.195  8 4.150.219  9 5.90 0.227 10 8.69 0.364 11 4.15 0.178 12 9.34 0.355CAF#13/2020 7.38 0.277 14 3.17 0.164 15 7.56 0.312 16 7.94 0.367 17 6.600.257 18 4.91 0.233 19 4.66 0.168 20 4.11 0.198

Table 2 below shows a comparison of the claimed variety to hemp plant‘Painted Lady’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 33,182).

TABLE 2 Comparison of ‘CAF#13/2020’ to Hemp Plant ‘Painted Lady’‘CAF#13/2020’ ‘Painted Lady’ Stem color Yellow-green 144A to Green 128Ato N134C, 146A, with white 156A with red and purple to 156D on woodyparts striping on woody parts Leaf color Yellow-green 147C, Green 134Bgreen NN137D and yellow-green 147B Petiole color Yellow-green 144A Green134C

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is a photograph showing the claimed hemp plant; and,

FIG. 2 is a photograph showing the leaves and stalk of the claimed hempplant.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The patent laws of the United States require that a description for aplant patent be complete and must distinguish the claimed variety. Theinventors have sequenced the entirety of the nuclear genome of the‘CAF#13/2020’ hemp plant, which provides a genotype of the variety atthe nucleotide level.

The following methodology was used:

-   -   1. Genomic DNA (gDNA) was extracted from leaf material of        ‘CAF#13/2020’ hemp plants.    -   2. A DNA-Seq library was prepared for 150 paired-end sequencing        with an Illumina NovaSeq 6000 system.    -   3. Sequenced reads were checked for quality, and high quality        reads were mapped to Cannabis sativa cs10, the representative        genome for this species in the National Center for Biotechnology        Information (NCBI). The RefSeq assembly accession is        GCF_900626175.2 and the assembled genome was downloaded on Dec.        12, 2020.    -   4. The reads mapping at each nucleotide position were compiled        and the corresponding nucleotides were annotated. If a        nucleotide position in ‘CAF#13/2020’ had a different nucleotide        than that of the reference genome cs10, a single nucleotide        variant (SNP) was declared.    -   5. After applying quality filters to avoid false SNPs, the        inventors compiled all SNPs located in genic regions and used to        genotype ‘CAF#13/2020’. We found 845,500 high quality SNPs        located in genic regions that can be used as a barcode or unique        identifier for ‘CAF#13/2020’. The list of these SNPs is compiled        in a .bed format file called “CAF#13/2020_genotype.bed”.

This application is accompanied by a compact disc containing the file“CAF#13/2020_genotype.bed” in a compressed format (bed.gz) as a uniqueidentifier for the ‘CAF#13/2020’ hemp plant. Table 2 provides an exampleof the .bed format:

TABLE 2 Sequence Example Col- Col- Col- Col- Col- Col- Line Column 1 umn2 umn 3 umn 4 umn 5 umn 6 umn 7 1 NC_044371.1  40280  40280 A G 91 0/1 2NC_044371.1  40953  40953 G A 129  1/1 3 NC_044371.1 245388 245388 A T,C 24 1/2

Referring to Line 1 of Table 2 above, Column 1 (“NC_044371.1”) denotesthe chromosome; Column 2 and Column 3 (“40280” and “40280”) identify thestart and end chromosome coordinates of the SNP (which, in the case ofSNPs, are equal); Column 4 (“A”) identifies the nucleotide in the cs10reference genome; Column 5 (“G”) identifies the alternative nucleotidefound in ‘CAF#13/2020’; Column 6 (“91”) identifies the number of readsmapping at that position; and, Column 7 (“0/1”) the called genotype. Theallele values of the genotype are 0 for the cs10 reference allele (“A”)and 1 for the alternative allele (“G”). Thus, the genotype of‘CAF#13/2020’ at position 40280 of chromosome NC_044371.1 is 0/1 or A/G(i.e., it is heterozygous). By comparison, it can be seen at Line 2 ofTable 2 that the genotype of ‘CAF#13/2020’ at position 40953 ofchromosome NC_044371.1 is 1/1 or A/A (i.e., it is homozygous for thealternative allele). Finally, there are some cases, such as the exampleshown in Line 3 of Table 2, where ‘CAF#13/2020’ has two alternativealleles (“T,C”) and the genotype is heterozygous. Homozygous sites in‘CAF#13/2020’ for the cs10 reference allele are not included in thefile. The submitted file includes 605,723 sites with genotype 0/1,237,831 sites with genotype 1/1 and 1,946 sites with genotype 1/2.

The complete genotype description provided in the accompanyingelectronic file precisely defines the claimed variety and distinguishesit from other known hemp varieties.

Potency analysis of ‘CAF#13/2020’ was performed using test methodCR-TM-161 and instrument ID and AIN HPLC CR269-CR274. The analysisconfirmed THC concentration of 0.277% by weight, and CBD concentrationof 7.380% by weight.

The following detailed description of the claimed plant is provided tofurther describe the variety. The description is based on observationsmade at Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. Described plants were grownindoors. All colors are described according to The R.H.S. Colour Chart(Royal Horticultural Society, 6th ed. 2015). It should be understoodthat the characteristics described will vary somewhat depending uponcultural practices and climatic conditions, and will vary with locationand season. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average ofmeasurements taken from a number of individual plants of the newvariety. The measurements of any individual plant or any group of plantsof the new variety may vary from the stated average.

-   General characteristics: CAF#13/2020 is a dioecious annual plant    that grows upright and exhibits high vigor, especially during the    late vegetative stage prior to flowering. The plant has no monecious    tendencies without stress manipulation, such as chemical or    temperature stress.    -   -   Mature height.—1.4 to 2.0 meters when grown indoors in a            deep pot. Mature height may vary depending on growth            conditions.        -   Time to harvest: 90 days to 115 days.-   Leaves:    -   -   Phyllotaxy.—Dependent on growth conditions; mostly alternate            with short internodes during early vegetative growth stages            after cloning; Sometimes opposite (seedling vegetative            stage) and whorled (flowering stage).        -   Leaf shape.—Palmate.        -   Number of leaflets.—3 to 5 in immature plants; as many as 9            at maturity.        -   Leaf structure.—Serrated margins, lightly acicular to            lanceolate leaflets, tapering to an acuminate apex; leaf            margins jaggedly serrate with each tooth apex angled toward            leaflet apex; the apical side of tooth is concave and basal            side of tooth is convex.        -   Pubescence.—Leaf hairs are absent.        -   Leaf length.—12 cm to 24 cm.        -   Leaf color.—Yellow-green 147C before flowering stage; Green            NN137D and yellow-green 147B during flowering stage.        -   Middle leaflet size (largest).—Length 8 cm to 16 cm; width            1.2 cm to 2.0 cm.        -   Middle leaflet length/width ratio.—4:1 to 8:1.        -   Middle leaflet number of teeth.—19 to 29.        -   Secondary veins.—Percurrent; branched alternately from            midvein; grow to tooth apex; color green 143C.        -   Petiole length.—4.2 cm to 8.0 cm at maturity.        -   Petiole color.—Yellow-green 144A; during flowering stage,            anthocyanin pigmentation on petioles of fan leaves            intensifies and covers both adaxial and abaxial surfaces;            darker adaxial surfaces remain red-purple 59A to            greyed-purple 187A, but abaxial surfaces are lighter and            less densely colored with a range of coloration            greyed-purple 184A to greyed-red 180A to greyed-red 178A and            178B and greyed-orange 176A.        -   Stipule.—Length 0.3 cm to 0.9 cm at maturity; width up to            1.2 cm, tapering spinose tip with a wider base about 1.0 mm            thick, sometimes curvaceous growth; color varies from green            143A to light 4D on edges.-   Stem: Immature axillary branches and immature stem are slightly    squared, finely pubescent and longitudinally furrowed in conjunction    with the slightly square shape. In later vegetative stages, the stem    is generally rounded in appearance with slight furrowing on more    recent stem growth. Stem shape is rounded at maturity. Older growth    is fuller with lower parts of main stem and oldest branches with    slightly woody appearance and outer texture.    -   -   Base stem diameter.—1.5 cm to 4 cm, depending on nature of            initial cutting material.        -   Stem color.—Yellow-green 144A to 146A at vegetative maturity            and during flowering; woody lower portions of stem            greyed-white 156A to 156D.        -   Stem pith type.—Dependent on plant age, maturity of stem,            and initial cutting material.-   Inflorescence (female/pistillate flowers): CAF#13/2020 produces    pistillate flowers in axils at nodal points along main axis and    lateral branches for most of the vegetative growth period. As    flowering begins to develop, these start to become more prolific    clusters of individual flowers that appear on increasing branching    growth from axillary buds emerging from increasingly short    internodes on both the main and lateral axes.    -   -   Proportion of female plants.—100% of the tested clones.        -   Number of flowers per plant.—Hundreds.        -   Flower shape.—Bilaterally symmetric with overall compressed            ovaloid appearance.        -   Flower type.—Apetalous pistillate flowers.        -   Flower size.—Inflorescence 2.5 cm to 10 cm diameter;            individual pistillate flowers 5 mm to 12 mm.        -   Corolla.—No defined corolla.        -   Bracts.—Trichomated leaflets with tips emergent from dense            floral clusters; Leaflets number 3 or 5 with many bracts            having 5 leaflets.        -   Bract length.—Range from 2 mm to 7 mm, sometimes more            depending on maturity of flowering spike.        -   Bract color.—Green 139A to lighter yellow-green 147A at base            of leaflets.        -   Bracteole.—Short, scale-like, membranous piece of tissue,            subtending the underside of pistillate flowers; Similar to            stipules but wider, shorter, and buried within the densely            clustered pistillate inflorescences; not immediately            observable without dissection; color green 141C, with pale            thin papery margins yellow 4D, 8D and 11D.        -   Calyx shape.—Membranous, broadly ovate, beaked at the tip,            persistent, enclosing the fresh and dry fruit, highly            trichomated.        -   Calyx color.—Green NN137B through 143A-143C and yellow-green            144B, N144C, 145A to 145D, and green-white 157A to 157D.        -   Stigma.—Short apical style with two long filiform stigmatic            branches; length 4 mm to 11 mm; color yellow 1C to 1D, 2D            and 4C, some yellow-green 144C to 145A; When senesced            greyed-orange 165A, 165B, 164A; At flower maturity, pistils            senesce to reddish-brown.        -   Staminate flower.—Does not exist naturally, only under            induced masculinization.        -   Trichome shape.—Capitate stalked glandular            multiseriate/uniseriate trichomes, especially on flowering            inflorescences and perigonial bracts; capitate sessile            glandular trichomes on stems, leaves, and bracts;            cystolithic non-glandular cystolithic non-glandular            trichomes on leaves.        -   Trichome color.—Yellow 4D and white 155A and NN155A to            NN155D; creamy color of varying saturation.        -   Terminal bud shape.—Naked, vegetative, and mixed depending            on life stage (vegetative or flowering).        -   Terminal bud color.—Green NN137B through 143A to 143C,            yellow-green 144B, N144C, 145A through 145D, and green-white            157A through 157D.        -   Emergent bract leaflets color.—Yellow-green 147A.        -   Freshly emergent stigmas, tips and papillae color.—Yellow 1C            through 1D, 2D and 4C.

The cultivar has not been tested for resistance to common viruses andfungal diseases pests or diseases.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct hemp plant named‘CAF#13/2020’ substantially as described herein.